I'll be looking forward to the "short sharp little gag films" you will be releasing. I think that's exactly what this needs.
It was too long because of the empty space between the poignant parts of the episode. I don't just mean dead air, either. Parts of the dialog seemed directionless, and I found myself zoning out between gags.
It's being billed as a comedy, so it needs more emphasis on the comedy. The very beginning:
"Destination: Off-Course
ETA: Imminent"
I thought that was the funniest gag in the episode (and it really was funny). There are ghads and ghads of gut-bustingly hilarious animations on Newgrounds, all with varying degrees of production quality. The one thing they all have in common is the humor.
That having been said, this is some of the slickest animation I've seen on here in 9 years. Keep the laughs at the forefront of your future animations, and you'll have a staple on your hands.